5.0 Conclusions and recommendations
5.1 Conclusions
The research was on investigating the adoption of electronic commerce by organizations In Botswana. Data from questionnaires was captured and analysed using a statistical package and discussions made ·from several frequency tables and graphs generated.
Respondents from all organizations indicated that they used electronic commerce applications like e-mail, customer service, banking, electronic advertising, procurement and purchasing and online shopping in varying capacities. Indeed, most organizations in Botswana have become Internet-enabled are using the above mentioned e- commerce applications which are woven around the Web. E-mail IS used for messaging and information sharing by organizations. A number of banks in Botswana like the First National Bank (FNB) have adopted a number of e-commerce applications to Improve their customer services. These include the ability to pay debtors from a desktop, balance checking from the desktop or cellphone, funds transfer and payment of bills and utilities. Organisations have embraced these innovations from FNB and other banks to fully utilize these e- commerce applications.
Companies like Oracle are also selling e-commerce base packages like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) to both the private and public sectors in Botswana. These packages allow organisations to manage the i r finances, customers, sup pI i e r s and other stake h o Ide r s a 11 on I in e. For example, the Botswana government has adopted e-commerce largely to ' its partnership with Oracle which resulted in the implementation of GABS (Government Accounting and Banking System) which literally connects all finance departments across the whole country. Private companies which deal with the Botswana government can get connected 46
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to this system and as a result, also adopt the e-commerce applications initiated by this partnership.
Many companies tn Botswana are also ustng electronic data interchange (EDI) to trade and communicate with customers and suppliers. EDI has enabled online shopping, and procurement and purchasing. This is proven by the findings of the research.
The findings indicate that the adoption of e-commerce ts mostly among companies which have been in existence for at least 20 years in the market. Presumably these are the companies which have huge reserves of finance to invest in the infrastructure which supports e-commerce applications. Younger companies seem to utilize only the existing infrastructure like network connections in order to utilize e-commerce applications.
The findings also indicated that the degree of e-commerce utilization is still low as compared to its non-utilizatiDn. This can be explained by the fact that e-commerce ts a new technology in developing countries and the fact that small and young companies (which form the majority of companies tn Botswana) do not use e-commerce very much as compared to large organisations.
The level of e-commerce applications diffusion in organisations tn Botswana is highest in e-mail, followed by e-banking, then e-customer service, e-advertising, online shopping and e-procurement coming last.
This can be explained by the cheapness of email application and the emergence and adoption of e-commerce applications by banks tn Botswana. Usage of e-commerce applications in Botswana is still in its infancy stage.
The majority of organisations in the study have someone who champions or uses e-commerce. Unfortunately, for many organisations, there is no support from management given to individuals who are
adequate funds for the infrastructure or lack of knowledge by management.
Based on the findings, there 1s evidence that individuals 1n
organisations exchange ideas on e-commerce applications with people fro m o u t s i d e t h e i r o r g a n i s at i o n s s e e k i ng he I p o n e - co m m e r c e applications. There is however evidence to the effect that decisions affecting individuals 1n organizations are not shared with those individuals before they are effected. There is also little information sharing in organisations and lack of respect for those who try to be creative. This lack of respect may inhibit the adoption of e-commerce technologies in those organisations.
The findings indicated that individuals in organisations do not see innovations as too complex to assess in advance of implementation. This may suggest that individuals have the full theoretical framework as far as innovation and implementation of e-commerce is concerned. This is supported by the fact that the same individuals have a clear plan of what to do when implementing an innovation. The findings also show that most organisations make a cost-benefit analysis before acquiring any system.
Most organisations have flexible promotion systems. The findings also show that most organisations do not have performance related reward systems. This may de-motivate those individuals who are innovative.
5.2 Recommendations
From the above conclusions and prev1ous discussions 1n Chapter 4 the following recommendations can be made:
I. Responses indicated that there is evidence of adoption of e- commerce applications 1n organisations in Botswana. However, the level of adoption is still very much restricted to e-mail only. Organisations should shift from just using e-mail only as a
channel of e-commerce adoption. Other avenues like online shopping, electronic banking etc can also be utilised.
2. The rate improved.
of e-commerce utilisation should also Infrastr'ucture needs to be set up to
be greatly support e- commerce activities. Leaders in e-commerce adoption are the government of Botswana, large corporations and banking ins tit uti on s. These i n s tit uti on s have the fin an cia I and technological resources to adopt and implement e-commerce. Their efforts in adoption and implementation of e-commerce will help to pull their customers and suppliers in the same direction.
For example organisations can make use of online banking because of its convenience 1n terms of flexibility and time saving.
3. The use of e-commerce applications like electronic data interchange needs support from individuals who are innovative in organisations. Currently such individuals lack support and respect from their management when they come up with new ideas which may steer their organisations towards the adoption and implementation of e-commerce technologies.
4. Financial institutions like banks should have policies in place to assist small and new companies with financial assistance which will enable them to buy infrastructure to support e-commerce activities. Currently it IS mostly the government and large organisations which are making full use of e-commerce applications because they can afford to invest using their financial resources.
5. E-commerce adoption should be promoted across organisations so that management, which at the present moment seems to be lacking appreciation, can also join the bandwagon as far as the adoption of e-commerce is concerned. Management can influence the release and channelling of funds towards investments in e- commerce applications and technologies.
6. Information sharing and collaboration need to be promoted in organisations so that e-commerce technologies diffuse throughout organisations and related stakeholders. Currently there is very little evidence to support comprehensive information sharing In organisations particularly on issues pertaining toe-commerce.
7. Employees should also be given incentives which are related to their effort in ensuring that organisations adopt e-commerce.
Such rewards can be performance based, for example.